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Postop complications

Parathyroid surgery in general is very safe, with few complications. Like any operation, though, there are potential complications that every patient needs to be aware of before surgery.

After parathyroid surgery, my thyroid became overactive. Was this caused by the parathyroid surgery?

Parathyroid surgery can cause a temporary hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). Here is what can happen: during manipulation of the thyroid, which occurs during parathyroid surgery, the thyroid can get irritated. It then starts dumping out too much thyroid hormone. This is called postoperative thyroiditis. It is a self-limiting process, which generally resolves within several weeks. In the firs...

Thyroiditis Postop complications

I'm really worried about becoming hypOparathyroid after parathyroid surgery. How do you prevent that?

Postoperative permanent hypoparathyroidism (a lifelong deficiency of PTH) is a known risk of thyroid and parathyroid surgery. It is a terrible complication, but fortunately it is extremely rare. Note that everyone will have some temporary hypoparathyroidism after parathyroid surgery - this is expected, since the remaining parathyroid glands have been suppressed and are not making much PTH. This...

Postop complications HypOparathyroidism Hyperplasia

Will having parathyroid surgery affect my thyroid? My thyroid function is normal, but I know someone who became hypothyroid after parathyroid surgery.

There are two issues that can occur with the thyroid: hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Both can occur after parathyroid surgery, but are both uncommon. When we operate on the parathyroids, we are manipulating the thyroid somewhat - we may need to push it over to reach the parathyroids, for example. Most thyroids are fine with that, and most peop...

Postop complications Thyroiditis Hypothyroidism

What are the risks of parathyroid surgery?

Parathyroid surgery is generally a very safe operation, especially when performed by an expert at the operation. There is a risk of complications with every operation, though. The main risks with parathryoid surgery are postoperative bleeding, voice changes, and thyroiditis. Bleeding is a risk with any operation. It occurs in about 1 in 500 cases (about 0.2%). It is more likely in patients w...

Postop complications Operation

I had surgery two days ago. The area around my incision is extremely itchy. The skin is red and bumpy around it. I feel fine otherwise, but can't take this itchiness any more! What should I do?

This sounds like an allergic reaction. If you have a steri-strip, then it is likely an allergic reaction to to the glue that holds the steri-strip in place (usually mastisol). You could also have a reaction to the soap that is used to clean the area just prior to the operation. You should call your surgeon and let him or her know about this. Your surgeon will advise you on the next steps. ...

Postop complications

I had parathyroid surgery four days ago. I had some tingling yesterday and took extra calcium, and that has resolved. My issue is that I'm having loose stools and abdominal cramping. Do you know what is causing this?

This may be a gastrointestinal reaction to the calcium you are taking. Calcium citrate is a form of calcium I frequently recommend because it tends to not cause constipation as much as some other forms. But it can cause the opposite problem of loose stools. If you are taking calcium citrate, you may want to try a different form of calcium. The most common form of calcium supplement is calcium c...

Postop expectations Postop complications

Is a parathyroid surgery out-patient? What is the recovery time? What are the risks?

Thanks for asking! Parathyroid surgery is nearly always outpatient, and you go home the same day as the operation. There are some rare exceptions, so occasionally someone will need to spend the night in the hospital. For example, patients who are on dialysis for kidney failure or patients with very severe heart or lung disease that might need to be monitored for a little longer after surger...

Operation Postop expectations Popular Postop complications

I am set to have surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism in the near future. So far testing has not been able to detect the location of a hyperparathyroid tumor. I have been told that during the exploratory surgery if the parathyroid glands cannot be located, my thyroid will be removed in an attempt to lower calcium levels. I was also told that if a tumor appeared in the future additional surgery would be necessary. I would like to know if the removal of a thyroid is the normal course of action when parathyroid glands cannot be located.

Thanks for writing. The short answer is that removing the entire thyroid is almost never necessary in parathyroid surgery, but occasionally removing a piece of thyroid can help. There is one very specific scenario in which I will remove a piece of thyroid. Here is the scenario: I am performing an operation for primary hyperparathyroidism and have found three normal parathyroid glands, but I...

Operation Postop complications Operative technique

Thank you for taking time to answer questions. I had 3 1/2 parathyroids removed six months ago. A month after surgery my PTH was 42 pg/ml, Vitamin D 25-OH was 38 ng/ml, but I’m confused what my calcium was as there were two results on the same day. One calcium level (in the metabolic panel) was 9.7 mg/dl and the other one that was listed with the PTH was 10.2 mg/dl. This confused me, but I felt better than I had in years so I wasn’t worried. However, it didn’t last long. The bone pain, fatigue and brain fog ( to name a few) returned and consistently have gotten worse. I have been taking calcium with vitamin D and magnesium as instructed after surgery. About 3 weeks ago I stopped taking it because the bone pain has gotten worse and I feared my calcium was high again. I am right back to feeling like I did pre surgery. I’m very disappointed and discouraged. My most recent lab results show that my calcium is 10.2 mg/dl. My vitamin D is 23 ng/ml and PTH is 17 pg/ml. I am 53 years old. What would cause my calcium to still be high and my other numbers to be so low? I’m so confused. I should probably mention I have an identical twin sister who has had a parathyroidectomy as well and still doesn’t feel well either, but she had a one sided surgery. Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.

Thanks for writing. Your case is complex, and there are a few separate issues to unpack here. First, let's look at your most recent labs. Your calcium is 10.2 mg/dl, which is high for your age. Your PTH level is 17 pg/ml, which is low, in the suppressed range. This is a good sign, indicating that your remaining parathyroid tissue is responding appropriately to the high calcium. We want the ...

Postop complications Postop expectations Primary HPT